


Worthy Casteless

by SearchingWolf



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8205664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SearchingWolf/pseuds/SearchingWolf
Summary: Alistair helps F/Brosca overcome her pain about her past.





	

The bright, white gleam of the moon glittered across the cool water in front of her. She sat on a rock on the side of the watering pool, dipping her feet in the cool liquid, relishing the feel of it. Raina stared unseeing into the deep water, swinging her feet slowly back and forth. Brand.

_Casteless. Vermin. Worthless._

The trip to Orzammar had troubled Raina far more than any of her traveling companions realized. The longer they had stayed, the quieter and more withdrawn she had become.

_A grey warden, and still this brand haunts my existence..._ she thought to herself sadly, staring at her reflection in the water. Her face tattoo was a square across her cheek and across the top of her forehead. She had truly thought that, being a member of the esteemed Grey Wardens, she might have risen a little in her people's eyes. But all any of the dwarves saw was her brand, and she could see the disgust and revulsion, even after they knew who she was.

Raina gave a frustrated, pained sigh and threw a rock out across the surface of the water. It skipped once and then sunk with a deep sound to the bottom. As she stared at her reflection, Sereda began to feel a strong, bubbling anger and disgust with herself. She reached down and snatched a flat rock with a sharp edge, leaning forward to see more of her face in the moon's light. Breathing heavily, shaking with anger, she pressed the sharp edge of the rock to the brand on her face.

_I will have this removed once and for all! Then they will never call me 'brand' again!_ Her mind screamed at her, and tears clouded her vision as she took a deep breath to press as hard as she could. Suddenly she felt strong, cool hands yank the rock away from her and she looked up in surprise to see Alistair, his eyes flashing with shock and worry, standing above her. A moment of strained silence passed before Raina looked away, back towards the water to let the tears in her eyes disappear

"Raina...what are you thinking?" Alistair asked softly, kneeling down beside her. She could feel him looking at her but she couldn't make herself meet his gaze.

"A little cosmetic work, that's all," she heard herself say, a sad attempt at a joke; even she could hear how empty her voice sounded. She took a deep, shaky breath and forced a small smile. Alistair looked out across the water, following her gaze.

"I know it bothered you, being treated that way in Orzammar. I could never understand the importance of Dwarven politics and their castes, myself," he said softly. "What they would call you, how they would look at you...I couldn't stand it." Raina simply looked down, meeting her own gaze in the water, her eyes once again flickering to the brand staining her face.

"It's all I've ever known, all I've ever been. A brand. Casteless, useless, a waste of space not worth the ground I'd walk on. I thought I was used to it, but..." her voice wavered and she took a breath to steady herself. "I guess even when I'm something, I'm nothing. Thanks to this stupid mark on my face." Another moment of silence passed before Alistiar spoke.

"Raina, look at me." 

Raina didn't move, couldn't bring herself to look at him. She felt a soft, warm hand under her chin turn her head to meet Alistair's gaze. She looked into his soft, warm eyes and couldn't help but feel herself tremble slightly. Alistair let his hand slide to the side of her face and he held her in his hand, his thumb softly rubbing the brand on her cheek.

"Raina, you are not nothing. This brand? This mark? It is part of you, and I love it. I love every bit of it, because I love every bit of you," Alistair said softly, and Raina could see love reflecting in his warm eyes. "I hope that someday, you can grow to love it as I have, because it makes you unique. You are the most amazing woman, dwarf, and person I have ever met."

Raina felt tears well up in her eyes as Alistair leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to the brand on her forehead, then the brand on her cheek, and then, finally, to her lips. His strong, unique smell she had come to love filled her nose and she felt herself melting into his embrace. They spent the night there, together, under the soft glow of the moon. And for the first time, Alistair helped Raina to finally feel loved; to feel like she was actually worth something.


End file.
